Robocop Trilogy [3 Discs]

"Robocop is back, and this time you get all three films in one classy box, with a new edition of the first film that actually manages to outdo the classic, now out-of-print Criterion edition. Slick and affordable, MGM's Robocop Trilogy set is not only a bargain, but it's an opportune time to grab up the second and third films along with a slam-bang version of the first film -- presented here for the first time with a section of never-before-seen deleted scenes! As far as extras go on the first Robocop, there are three featurettes on the disc, starting with the ""Flesh and Steel: The Making of Robocop"" documentary. Clocking in at 37 minutes, it provides juicy behind-the-scenes stories of feuds between Rob Bottin and the filmmakers along with numerous references from Paul Verhoeven reiterating his Jesus Christ/Robocop theories (which you can find more of in the commentary he shares with writer Ed Neumeier and producer Jon Davison, carried over from the Criterion disc). Sadly, the ""Robocop Expert"" commentary track was not carried over as well, but the man in question, Paul Sammon, is all over the place in ""Flesh and Steel,"" once again adding his glorious ramblings on everything Robo (his comments on the nest of Chinese boxes is priceless!). They never quite get to the bottom of how exactly one becomes a Robocop Expert, but there's plenty of other good stuff to chew on, including some unbelievable pictures of the future of law enforcement and Richard Nixon that need to be seen to be believed. ""Shooting Robocop,"" the second featurette, focuses on raw footage during filming, where you can glimpse some choice Peter Weller action in and out of the suit, while the last featurette, ""Making Robocop,"" is an older making-of unearthed for this edition that basically gives the viewer more insight into the film from when it was just hitting theaters. While there are three films included in the set, most of the noteworthy extras are relegated to the first disc, continuing with the aforementioned deleted scenes, long thought to be forever lost in legal limbo. Four clips have been included, with one more Bixby Snyder moment that is sure to be a tasty treat for all who can't get enough of his ""I'll buy that for a dollar!"" commercial breaks -- needless to say, pizza never looked so good! A storyboard comparison has also been provided, with special-effects wizard Phil Tippett providing insight through a commentary track that discusses the stop-motion animation on the ED209 scenes. An in-depth photo gallery is there for your perusal, along with both theatrical trailers and a TV spot straight from the heart of Robomania that comes off more like a Troma film than anything resembling the blockbuster hit. All three films are presented with anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen pictures, with enhanced 5.1 Surround tracks to accompany them. Extras on the sequels are purely trailer-oriented, with little else given on their history or otherwise. With all of the controversy surrounding Frank Miller's original screenplay for the second one (which then was carried over on the third installment), it would have been interesting to hear the real stories, though that's asking for a lot considering the popularity of their final products. The other major downside of the set is that the jumbo edition for the first film is only available in this box. The possibilities of it appearing in a stand-alone version in the future are fairly good, though for now, this is all you get. Still, even if you're not a fan of the second two films, there's always the killer robot fight at the end of the second one and Robocop fighting ninja robots with a jetpack in the third -- if that's not worth at least a few viewings, then what is?"